Admin

Entries from August 2011

We were so excited to receive such lovely entries from our design partners that we want to share more! You can view our previous post featuring more pictures from the “What’s Old is New Again!” challenge to discover fun ideas and the link to our Facebook gallery. Below are highlights from some of our incredible entries.

The cute kitty focal in this necklace is a pendant Design Partner Sharla has held onto since high school. She got a bit of inspiration from her pets on designing a delicate necklace around her pendant.

The vintage piece in this necklace is actually an old fishing license from 1960. It’s held safely inside a Nunn Design tag link and protected from damage using Magic-Glos™ resin. This necklace is a cool way to remember the past and honor a cherished family pastime.

Thank you again to all of our wonderful design partners for their ingenious talent and lovely designs. We love coming up with new challenges to see what you’ll come up with next! Check out our Facebook page to view the entire Design Partner photo gallery I and photo gallery II and view all of the lovely creations!

Ever wonder where your favorite beads come from? Bali beads are some of the highest-quality products and are full of intricate detail. Experienced jewelry makers are able to spot an authentic Bali bead through piles of replicas, and after reading this, you will too. The reason Bali beads stand out from the rest is the unique touch of detailed patterns found in each one. Such craftsmanship can only be achieved through dedication and steady hands, and here we will tell the story of how Bali beads came in to being.

Bali has been a place rich in silversmith culture for at least 2600 years, when skills trading with Southeast Asian countries ran high. When gold was discovered in Bali, the demand to possess this cherished skill grew. Soon after, Bali became known for its quality gold and silver products. The silversmiths of Bali put the same amount of dedication into each small bead as they do for ceremonious rituals. From weaving flowers and palm trees into offerings to Gods to sterling silver jewelry, each task put into the hands of these artists is made with the same dedication.

The people of Bali, Indonesia, who specialize in creating silver items have a natural abundance of patience—a necessity in making every single bead. One will notice in the details of a specific bead that each tiny granulated bump is a separate ball of silver soldered to the base. The process in which these lovely components are made is a journey in itself, using only the simplest of tools.

First, small silver pellets are melted down and mixed with borax to rid it of impurities. The liquefied silver is then poured into molds—either a square mold for a sheet or a round mold to cut wire. The solid silver molds are ran through a rolling press and made thinner and smaller until the smith has reached his desired size to work with. The silver is then cut with a saw into various shapes, allowing the silversmith to then use metal stamps and hammers to make exquisite details like rounded edges and precise designs. To create filigree designs, silver wires are soldered together into bowl shapes and curved into the appropriate pieces.

The tiny granulated details are added to the final shape using paste made from small red beans to hold things in place. Silver solder is brushed onto the shape and heated over a torch flame, creating a smooth, clean line. The silversmith cleans the silver with a porous fruit and then dips it in antiquing solution. This turns the silver black. To create the perfect look, the silver is then polished, giving the tiny details a shine and keeping the background parts black for a nice contrast.

We take pride in every product we sell on our site, but our Bali silver jewelry components really are some of the best things we carry. If you are in search of fine silver, look no further than Bali silver. Now that you know the story you’ll never mistake imitation Bali silver for the real thing again.

Don’t forget to enter our latest contest—the Under the Sea Challenge! There’s just one day left until we announce our big winner and the answers to the quiz. You’ll be asked trivia questions about some of our favorite sea creatures. Once you complete the challenge, enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win a fabulous “Under the Sea Challenge” prize package that includes a collection of our newest Unicorne Beads, freshwater pearl strands and an Artbeads gift card—all this valued at $200. Show off your aquatic knowledge and have fun taking the quiz.

Please note: The trivia test is not a requirement to enter the sweepstakes. This contest ends tonight at 11:59PM PT. We will announce the winner and the trivia answers tomorrow, so stay tuned!

With its warm red and copper accents, this simple Red Dream necklace is still vibrant enough to make a statement. Incorporate the Murano glass pendant with sparkling Swarovski crystals for a look that’s elegantly organic. Learn how to make a necklace that’s sure to impress! Stop by the Learning Center for free instructions to this necklace and a list of components used in the design. Also, be sure to check out more free jewelry making and craft ideas to create new ideas all year long!

Make your friendship last all year round by showing how much you care. A friendship bracelet is a sweet, simple way to tell a good friend how much they mean to you. No matter what your age, a friendship bracelet will put a smile on someone’s face. These colorful crafts were originally made by natives in Central and South America to help grant wishes. It was believed that one would tie a bracelet around a friend’s wrist, and the friend would make a wish. The friend would wear the bracelet until it fell off on its own, at which time their wish was supposed to come true.

The best thing you could wish for is a good friend! Play with different colors and patterns to make friendship bracelets for your closest girlfriends or your kids. Learn how to make a friendship bracelet using different weaving techniques available to you for free in our Learning Center. Be sure to browse our wonderful collection of nylon cord to use in each design, too. These make great gifts for anyone as a simple reminder of how much they mean to you. Adorn them with special charms to personalize them if you like.

Sometimes, when we grow up, we forget how much friends really mean to us. Take a moment to make something special for a person you love being in your life.

Artbeads would like to give a big thanks to all of the design partners who participated in our latest design challenge. We asked them to create jewelry with the theme “What’s Old is New Again!” Each had to incorporate looks with vintage components and give them new life. The results were nothing short of incredible. Here are a few pictures from our participants that we think are absolutely stunning. Check out our Facebook page to view the entire Design Partner photo gallery I and photo gallery II and view all of the lovely creations!

Lisbeth Salander, the main character in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, is a personification of women empowerment and rebellion. In anticipation of the upcoming release of the American version of this film, we will analyze the main character’s style to help inspire cool jewelry ideas. Lisbeth Salander’s personal style is definitely unique and edgy. The key to Lisbeth’s style is bold and black. Keep things organic or add a bit more glamour by using Swarovski crystals or their Mystic Black pearls.

Links are a great way to get a bold look without losing softness.
Lisbeth’s style is very androgynous, so play with harsh and feminine touches in your jewelry. This style has also been seen on the runways lately as well, so you will stay ahead of the curve if you experiment with this trend.

Getting ready for the crisp, autumn days, I was inspired to feature this lovely Look After My Heart necklace. Its dramatic red Swarovski pendant captured safely inside a Kabela filigree ties the whole design together. Learn how to make a necklace full of romance and desire by following the instructions for this free jewelry idea at the Learning Center. Discover other jewelry and craft ideas to inspire your next design!

Today we’re celebrating the wonderful shade that is lime green. It’s only fitting that we express our love in August—the month of Peridot, another wonderful green shade. Although green has been interpreted as different meanings, lime green seems to stand on its own. We often think of green as a soothing, nature-themed color. Lime is certainly a naturally-occurring fruit, so it follows its darker shade’s trend in this aspect. However, lime green has become a symbol of summer fun and youth. It can also be more serious if paired with the right colors. Let’s take a look at some cool color combinations…

Black:

Pairing lime green with black makes for nice contrast. It turns your jewelry into modern art!

Blue:

Any darker shade of blue will look cool next to lime green. Create a cool beachy feel with this radical color combination.

Orange and Yellow:

Design jewelry after your favorite fruit! This zesty combination will simulate the citrus family nicely and pucker up your looks.

Pink:

Pink and green go together like peanut butter and jelly. This flirty girly combo is perfect in jewelry for any occasion!

Brown:

A rich chocolate brown or mocha hue gives the same effect as pairing lime green with black, but adds a warmer touch to the scheme. Try combining these two tones with hints of white for a cool, earthy feel.

Looking for a new lime green addition to your beading collection? We have some amazing Lime Swarovski crystal bicones to create the perfect accent to your next jewelry design! Tell us what you would pair with lime green in jewelry and inspire others to get creative.

Here’s another fun post for jewelry fans. From quotegarden.com come interesting thoughts and phrases about jewelry throughout history. These are famous quotes about jewelry from various influential people. Take a look for a quick way to put a smile on your face!

“I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They’ve experienced pain and bought jewelry.”—Rita Rudner

“Jewelry takes people’s minds off your wrinkles.” –Sonja Henie

“Perhaps time’s definition of coal is the diamond.” –Kahlil Gibran

“I really think that American gentlemen are the best after all, because kissing your hand may make you feel very very good but a diamond and a sapphire bracelet lasts forever.” –Anita Loos

“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and a man’s worst enemy.”—Author Unknown

“My husband gave me a necklace. It’s fake. I requested fake. Maybe I’m paranoid, but in this day and age, I don’t want something around my neck that’s worth more than my head.” – Rita Rudner

“Let us not be too particular. It is better to have old second-hand diamonds than none at all.” – Mark Twain

“The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.” –Salvador Dalí

You can find more fun jewelry facts by visiting our Beader’s Loft, located in the Learning Center.